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It’s safe to say coach Ken Whisenhunt isn’t effusive with his praise of players. Just as he is loathe to criticize much publicly (yesterday, he declined to say much about Calais Campbell’s disappointing season) he also doesn’t compliment too much. When he does go there, you take notice.

So I noticed this week when someone asked him about the play of cornerback Michael Adams of late. Adams clearly has some talent, although he is far from a prototype, standing 5-foot-7 and a man who has been picked on in the past when in coverage. (And also a player who has been picked on by fans who aren’t believers in his effectiveness).

But the coach came out strongly in Adams’ corner.

“I have been impressed with Mike from day one,” Whisenhunt said. “That’s why Mike is on this team, because he’s a guy who always competes and always works. There were questions when he was put in there at that position if he could hold up. The guy gives you everything he’s got and he fights his tail off. If there is one guy of which you are proud, Mike is that guy. I am happy with how he has performed.”

Adams, who has become the secondary’s most reliable tackler, started last week above Greg Toler, although Toler was still coming back from a foot injury. Whisenhunt wouldn’t say Adams has supplanted Toler as starter, in part because Adams is dealing with injuries himself (a shoulder problem).

“If they ask me to start, I will,” Adams said. “If they ask me to be inactive next week, I’m just here to do my job. I come to work and when my job is over, I go home and be with my family.”

Adams thinks his game has changed since he was a rookie because “I learned how to play big but be small.” And he’s not going to go overboard when he hears his coach had complimented him.

“I try not to listen to that stuff,” Adams said. “I don’t take too much of anything literal in the league, good or bad. It could be next week when I play bad and he has to say something bad about me.”

sorry urb for the delayed response. But i thought that Herman Johnson was our 7th rd draft pick from LSU a couple years ago? You even did a story about how we was the biggest baby in La.? If I remember correctly……..

Darren, what are the thoughts within the organization/team on how DRC has performed this year? Everyone avoided him for the first few games and attacked Toler, who I believe has played quite well considering how much he still has to learn. But after a few games it seems like teams have been throwing at DRC more and more and he has yet to give them much reason not to. He still makes the exceptional pass defensed

Here and there, and there’s no arguments that he is perhaps the most physically gifted corner in the league, but overall it seems like he takes so many plays off teams can afford to throw at him all the time. Especially with quicker 15 yards or less passes where he’s not yet focusing on his assignment.

For being 5 foot nothing and a buck nothing, adams tackles like a giant. I have yet to see anyone get past little man – he knows how to make up for lack of size. Just think if the whole D tackled like adams, we’d have a better D than the ravens. Keep up the good work adams, maybe you can teach your secrect of how to tackle to a few others?

Darren,
Nice story about Michael Adams-he is a tough little guy: But the reality of the article is:
1) Whiz’ credibility is shot right now
2) your not winning any championships with Michael Adams at CB
3) there are maybe 2 or 3 guys on the roster that the story could be written about-LSH and Feely.
4) It would be great to hear something nice about the normal sized players who we depend on so dearly.

Sorry guys but I still like Toler if he is healthy. I watched the 49ers game and their receivers were getting open on Mike but their QB Troy Smith could not get the ball to them. A good QB is still going to abuse Mike Adams in coverage.
Mike Adams is a good guy and hopefully he can find a place for him on our team, but he has always scared me playing DB for us. I do admit he looks better than he has the past few seasons but he still scares me.
I like Toler and I am not as down on DRC as a lot of you. Am I pleased with DRC’s play no, but I still see him make plays and guys teams are running on our front 7 very easily and our pass rush is even worse this year than last year.
These reasons I think hurt our DBs and the DB I am most angry with this season for poor play is A. Wilson. I can not believe how bad he is playing this year. This year is definitely a down year for us, but my most positives that I have seen from the Cardinals this year are LSH kick returns, Feely kicking, and our defensive backfield. Go Cards

My wife and I had a chance to meet Mike a couple of years ago at the draft party at the stadium. We took the stadium tour and he was meeting folks in the locker room. He was one of the nicest athletes we have ever met and we have been big fans of his since that day. Thanks for the blog article, Darren

The biggest difference between this year and last year DB play is Teryl Austin. The way that Teryl handled the young guys last year was the reason that we were looking forward to an improved backfield this year.

After all Urban Myer thought enough of him to make him his DC. Maybe we should have done the same.

As previously mentioned, there will be no more knocking anyone except the Bidwill clan and I’m not in the mood for doing that this close to Christmas. I enjoyed the article on the draft. As Steve Breaston said, the fans are always looking toward the draft as a means to get a great player, but the likehood of getting a great player that easily is slim. I suppose as long as the possibility exists, fans will think the draft is a quick way to rebound from a dismal season. Look at the Rams and how they have benefited from drafting Sam Bradford. But by the same token, look at all the teams that have drafted blue chip prospects and had those guys fail miserably. Obviously it takes more than a couple of good or even great players to make a team competetive. In the case of the Cards this year, there is a multitude of reasons the team has done so poorly. All we as fans can do is stay loyal and stick by the team and hopefully next year will be better. We can’t forget that we do play in a division where all the teams are in some type of a rebuilding mode, so the possibility to do what the Rams have done this year can happen next year for us. Hope y’all have a Happy Holiday season and as always…GO BIG RED!